NEW DELHI: Resident doctors of the Hindu Rao hospital began their indefinite strike on Monday to protest against delay in disbursal of their salaries by the North civic body.
“We have repeatedly raised the issue with our medical superintendent, but did not get any response. We haven’t received salary for three months. It has become very difficult for us to sustain our families. We have decided to sit on dharna on Tuesday with empty bowls to highlight our difficulties. We will ask the people to donate money,” Resident Doctors Association secretary Dr Sanjeev Chaudhary told The Morning Standard.
While the junior resident doctors fall under the pay scale of `95,000 per month, the senior residents get Rs 1.10 lakh per month.As the doctors shut the OPD block, they organised a camp outside the administrative block for continuing the routine services.
The Association claimed that while the doctors were conducting OPD outside, the administration brought in the police around 11.30 a.m to disperse the patients and the doctors. “We will be running the parallel OPD so that the patients don’t face any trouble,” Dr Chaudhary added.
On Monday, the patients had to face difficulty despite the agitating doctors arranging parallel OPD services. Savita Devi, who came from Shahdara with her 9-year-old son, said it was problematic to stand under the sun for a long time. “My son has fractured his leg. I have to carry him. It is an extremely hot day. I don’t know about the problems of doctors and why they are not inside OPD, but this situation is certainly not favourable for any patient,” she asserted.
FUNDS ARRANGED
Meanwhile, North MCD commissioner Varsha Joshi said the government had paid D206.05 crore to the civic body. “Money will be released to pay grade-wise as far as possible. Also, we have to take care of pensions and terminal benefits,” she said.